Alfred PoorHP mp3220The mp3220 projector from HP weighs less than 4 pounds and has many attractive features that make it appealing. But our enthusiasm is tempered by some cut corners and performance flaws.

Very bright for a lightweight projector. Good image quality. Quick shutdown after power-off.

Cons

Autosync did not position image correctly. Focus ring difficult to adjust precisely. Noticeable variation in brightness.

Bottom Line

The mp3220 projector from HP weighs less than 4 pounds and has many attractive features that make it appealing. But our enthusiasm is tempered by some cut corners and performance flaws.

The HP mp3220 projector ($1,799.99 direct) has an attractive cream-colored case and weighs less than four pounds. It is priced competitively and has a number of attractive features, but it also has a few flaws that could be very frustrating for some users.

The XGA-resolution projector uses a DLP imager and is fairly quiet. It is a veritable light cannon; it's rated at 2,000 lumens, and our test measurements came very close to that (1,947 lumens). The handy remote control includes remote mouse-control features and a dedicated autosync button.

You'll find clever features at every turn. The lens cap is permanently attached to the front of the case, and you simply rotate it out of the way when you want to use the projector. The mp3220 shuts down quickly, so you don't have to wait long before you pack up. Its on-screen menu system includes diagnostic tests, which is unusual for this class of projector.

Our tests with DisplayMate (www.displaymate.com) showed generally good results. The dark-gray response was good, and light-gray response was excellent. We saw no apparent pixel defects, color ramps were smooth, and color tracking was accurate. The contrast measurement was 355:1, which is good, and that was confirmed by images that looked crisp on the screen.

If this review stopped here, the mp3220 would be an outstanding projector, but we encountered some flaws and shortcomings. One problem was that the autosync feature got the pixel timing correct, but failed to position the image correctly. This was easy to correct with a simple tweak, but this problem is rare for projectors these days. Focusing the image precisely can be aggravating, since the focus ring has a lot of play. Even when the image is focused in the center, it is noticeably soft in the lower corners and across the bottom. The projector uses a five-segment color wheel that adds a yellow segment, yet yellows were still dark and muddy (a characteristic common to most DLP projectors). And on an all-white screen, the image was noticeably dimmer in the lower left corner and brighter in the center. This confirms the relatively high brightness-variance score of 1.5:1.

The projector has one VGA connector for computers. And though it has connectors for composite and S-Video as well as sound, no cables are included for them. The HP mp3220 projector is a good effort, but ultimately falls short of greatness.

HP mp3220

HP mp3220

Get Our Best Stories!

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.